Banion sipped a milk on the rocks, nervously drummed his fingers on the armrest of his wheelchair.

"The reason I think that, Mikey, is because I think you really love him, you know? I dunno, somethin' just tells me you do."

Banion finished the milk, shaking some ice from the glass into his mouth.

"You know, I never met a parent who somewhere deep down inside, in spite of all the crap and thunder, deep down inside who wouldn't die for their kid." Chubby took out a pack of cigarettes, offered one to Banion. Banion shook his head no. "It's like cuttin' off your nose to spite your face what you're doin', and I'll bet dollars to doughnuts he really wants to see you ... you're his goddamn father." Chubby lit his cigarette.

"I don't wanna talk about it," Banion said.

"Aw c'mon," Chubby persisted, "you mean to tell me you don't care if you never see him again?" Banion wheeled away from Chubby, served up some drinks at the other end of the bar. "Banion, get the fuck back here."

"Hey look," Banion snapped across the room, "if you know anything about anything you'll lay off me about that."

"I only meant—"

"I said you'll lay off."

"Hey c'mon, Mikey."

"You'll lay off."

Chubby opened his mouth to speak, but his words subsided in a sigh. "O.K."

Banion wheeled back to Chubby's end of the bar. "Chubby, how come you never had kids?"

"I dunno." Chubby shrugged. "I guess I was afraid they'd all be fat and ugly like me."

"Cut the crap, Chubby, I'm asking you serious." Banion poured himself another milk.

"I'll tell you something, I never felt like I needed a kid. I got Stony, Tommy's boy. He's the best goddamn kid in the world. A goddamn kid-and-a-half." Chubby popped his knuckles. "You know, when we talk, me an' Stony, when we talk we're just like two guys, like two buddies. None of this Uncle Chubby garbage. An' I'll tell you somethin' else, that goddamn kid loves my ass. Jus' between you and me, I think the kid digs me even more than he does Tommy, but don't ever tell Tommy that." Chubby laughed.

"How about your old lady? Is Stony like a son to her too?"

Chubby looked pained. "Sometimes."

"Whatta you mean sometimes?"

"I dunno, sometimes yeah, sometimes no, what the hell's the difference?"

"Whatta you gettin' so mad about, Chubby? I just wanna know how come you don't have kids."

"I told you goddamnit, Stony's—"

"But he ain't yours."

"Hey, look, what the fuck you want from me? You want me to say I can't have kids? You want me to say Phyllis can't have kids? Well I won't cause I can! Phyllis can! She gave me a goddamn son, the most beautiful fat baby boy in the whole fucking world..." Chubby stared at his drink, his face burning, his hands clasped in a bloodless knot of fingers. Banion started to say something, but Chubby cut him short. "He's dead and buried so goddamn long it seems like he was never here, like the whole thing was a dream."